Nigerian Sprinters Qualify for Paris 2024 Olympics at NCAA Regional Finals
Written by Jerry Alomatu on May 27, 2024
The roster of Nigerian athletes set to compete in the track events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, continues to expand. Sprinters Rosemary Chukwuma and Tima Godbless secured their spots during the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) regional finals on Saturday.
Rosemary Chukwuma, a gold medallist at the African U-20 Championships, earned her Olympic berth in spectacular fashion. She not only met the qualifying standard but also set a personal best of 10.88 seconds (+1.2), breaking her school record in the 100m. This performance places her as the second-fastest Nigerian woman in history, trailing only Blessing Okagbare, a former volunteer assistant and master’s degree graduate from Chukwuma’s alma mater, Texas Tech. Chukwuma improved her previous personal best by 0.11 seconds, surpassing competitors Ariane Linton (11.07s PB) and Jassani Carter (11.09s).
Additionally, Chukwuma anchored the Texas Tech 4x100m relay team to first place in their heat and third overall. Alongside teammates Serena Clark, Success Umukoro, and Alyssa Colbert, they clocked a time of 42.77 seconds, marking the second-fastest relay time in Texas Tech history.
Similarly, Tima Godbless, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay team that qualified for the Olympics at the World Relays in the Bahamas, achieved a new personal best of 11.03 seconds (+0.5). This performance not only qualified her for the NCAA Championships but also secured her Olympic qualification. Godbless finished second to McKenzie Long, who won the race in 10.92 seconds.
With these achievements, Nigeria now boasts five female athletes qualified for individual track events at the Olympics, along with seven male athletes. The growing list of qualified athletes underscores Nigeria’s strong presence and competitive potential in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
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Author: Jerry Alomatu
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